Japan Opposes Adding Korea, Australia, India, and South Africa to G7

President Moon Jae-in attending the G7, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Eun-byeol] Japan has opposed the expansion of the Group of Seven (G7) to include South Korea, Australia, India, and South Africa, thereby transforming it into the 'D11'.

According to a report on the 13th by Nihon Keizai Shimbun citing G7 officials, Japan stated, "It is acceptable to invite South Korea, Australia, and India as guest countries, but we oppose expanding the G7 framework."

This year’s G7 summit invited South Korea, Australia, India, and South Africa as guests.

Boris Johnson, the UK Prime Minister and chair of the summit, defined the G7 together with these four countries as 'Democracy 11' or D11 in a statement issued just before the opening. Consequently, some speculated that D11 might evolve into a framework replacing the G7, but Japan opposed this.

It is analyzed that Japan opposed the expansion because South Korea’s participation could affect Japan’s status as the only Asian G7 member.

The newspaper interpreted, "It is unclear whether Japan’s opposition influenced the outcome, but the previously rising discussion about expanding the G7 has almost disappeared during this summit, and it seems unlikely that a D11 summit will be realized in the near future."